Chapter 12
_At the far end a dais. On this three chairs, two under one canopy for_ MARY _and_ PHILIP, _another on the right of these for_ POLE. _Under the dais on_ POLE'S _side, ranged along the wall, sit all the Spiritual Peers, and along the wall opposite, all the Temporal. The Commons on cross benches in front, a line of approach to the dais between them. In the foreground_, SIR RALPH BAGENHALL _and other Members of the Commons_.
FIRST MEMBER. St. Andrew's day; sit close, sit close, we are friends. Is reconciled the word? the Pope again? It must be thus; and yet, cocksbody! how strange That Gardiner, once so one with all of us Against this foreign marriage, should have yielded So utterly!--strange! but stranger still that he, So fierce against the Headship of the Pope, Should play the second actor in this pageant That brings him in; such a cameleon he!
SECOND MEMBER. This Gardiner turn'd his coat in Henry's time; The serpent that hath slough'd will slough again.
THIRD MEMBER. Tut, then we all are serpents.
SECOND MEMBER. Speak for yourself.
THIRD MEMBER. Ay, and for Gardiner! being English citizen, How should he bear a bridegroom out of Spain? The Queen would have him! being English churchman How should he bear the headship of the Pope? The Queen would have it! Statesmen that are wise Shape a necessity, as a sculptor clay, To their own model.
SECOND MEMBER. Statesmen that are wise Take truth herself for model. What say you? [_To_ SIR RALPH BAGENHALL.
BAGENHALL. We talk and talk.
FIRST MEMBER. Ay, and what use to talk? Philip's no sudden alien--the Queen's husband, He's here, and king, or will be--yet cocksbody! So hated here! I watch'd a hive of late; My seven-years' friend was with me, my young boy; Out crept a wasp, with half the swarm behind. 'Philip!' says he. I had to cuff the rogue For infant treason.
THIRD MEMBER. But they say that bees, If any creeping life invade their hive Too gross to be thrust out, will build him round, And bind him in from harming of their combs. And Philip by these articles is bound From stirring hand or foot to wrong the realm.
SECOND MEMBER. By bonds of beeswax, like your creeping thing; But your wise bees had stung him first to death.
THIRD MEMBER. Hush, hush! You wrong the Chancellor: the clauses added To that same treaty which the emperor sent us Were mainly Gardiner's: that no foreigner Hold office in the household, fleet, forts, army; That if the Queen should die without a child, The bond between the kingdoms be dissolved; That Philip should not mix us any way With his French wars--
SECOND MEMBER. Ay, ay, but what security, Good sir, for this, if Philip----
THIRD MEMBER. Peace--the Queen, Philip, and Pole. [_All rise, and stand_.
_Enter_ MARY, PHILIP, _and_ POLE.
[GARDINER _conducts them to the three chairs of state_. PHILIP _sits on the_ QUEEN'S _left_, POLE _on her right_.
GARDINER. Our short-lived sun, before his winter plunge, Laughs at the last red leaf, and Andrew's Day.
MARY. Should not this day be held in after years More solemn than of old?
PHILIP. Madam, my wish Echoes your Majesty's.
POLE. It shall be so.
GARDINER. Mine echoes both your Graces'; (_aside_) but the Pope-- Can we not have the Catholic church as well Without as with the Italian? if we cannot, Why then the Pope. My lords of the upper house, And ye, my masters, of the lower house, Do ye stand fast by that which ye resolved?
VOICES. We do.
GARDINER. And be you all one mind to supplicate The Legate here for pardon, and acknowledge The primacy of the Pope?
VOICES. We are all one mind.
GARDINER. Then must I play the vassal to this Pole. [_Aside_.
[_He draws a paper from under his robes and presents it to the_ KING _and_ QUEEN, _who look through it and return it to him; then ascends a tribune, and reads_.
We, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, And Commons here in Parliament assembled, Presenting the whole body of this realm Of England, and dominions of the same, Do make most humble suit unto your Majesties, In our own name and that of all the state, That by your gracious means and intercession Our supplication be exhibited To the Lord Cardinal Pole, sent here as Legate From our most Holy Father Julius, Pope, And from the Apostolic see of Rome; And do declare our penitence and grief For our long schism and disobedience, Either in making laws and ordinances Against the Holy Father's primacy, Or else by doing or by speaking aught Which might impugn or prejudice the same; By this our supplication promising, As well for our own selves as all the realm, That now we be and ever shall be quick, Under and with your Majesties' authorities, To do to the utmost all that in us lies Towards the abrogation and repeal Of all such laws and ordinances made; Whereon we humbly pray your Majesties, As persons undefiled with our offence, So to set forth this humble suit of ours That we the rather by your intercession May from the Apostolic see obtain, Thro' this most reverend Father, absolution, And full release from danger of all censures Of Holy Church that we be fall'n into, So that we may, as children penitent, Be once again received into the bosom And unity of Universal Church; And that this noble realm thro' after years May in this unity and obedience Unto the holy see and reigning Pope Serve God and both your Majesties.
VOICES. Amen. [_All sit.
[He again presents the petition to the_ KING _and_ QUEEN, _who hand it reverentially to_ POLE.
POLE (_sitting_). This is the loveliest day that ever smiled On England. All her breath should, incenselike, Rise to the heavens in grateful praise of Him Who now recalls her to His ancient fold. Lo! once again God to this realm hath given A token of His more especial Grace; For as this people were the first of all The islands call'd into the dawning church Out of the dead, deep night of heathendom, So now are these the first whom God hath given Grace to repent and sorrow for their schism; And if your penitence be not mockery, Oh how the blessed angels who rejoice Over one saved do triumph at this hour In the reborn salvation of a land So noble. [_A pause_. For ourselves we do protest That our commission is to heal, not harm; We come not to condemn, but reconcile; We come not to compel, but call again; We come not to destroy, but edify; Nor yet to question things already done; These are forgiven--matters of the past-- And range with jetsam and with offal thrown Into the blind sea of forgetfulness. [_A pause_. Ye have reversed the attainder laid on us By him who sack'd the house of God; and we, Amplier than any field on our poor earth Can render thanks in fruit for being sown, Do here and now repay you sixty-fold, A hundred, yea, a thousand thousand-fold, With heaven for earth.
[_Rising and stretching forth his hands. All kneel but_ SIR RALPH BAGENHALL, _who rises and remains standing_.
The Lord who hath redeem'd us With His own blood, and wash'd us from our sins, To purchase for Himself a stainless bride; He, whom the Father hath appointed Head Of all his church, He by His mercy absolve you! [_A pause_. And we by that authority Apostolic, Given unto us, his Legate, by the Pope, Our Lord and Holy Father, Julius, God's Vicar and Vicegerent upon earth, Do here absolve you and deliver you And every one of you, and all the realm And its dominions from all heresy, All schism, and from all and every censure, Judgment, and pain accruing thereupon; And also we restore you to the bosom And unity of Universal Church. [_Turning to_ GARDINER. Our letters of commission will declare this plainlier.
[QUEEN _heard sobbing. Cries of_ Amen! Amen! _Some of the Members embrace one another. All but_ SIR RALPH BAGENHALL _pass out into the neighboring chapel, whence is heard the Te Deum_.
BAGENHALL. We strove against the papacy from the first, In William's time, in our first Edward's time, And in my master Henry's time; but now, The unity of Universal Church, Mary would have it; and this Gardiner follows; The unity of Universal Hell, Philip would have it; and this Gardiner follows! A Parliament of imitative apes! Sheep at the gap which Gardiner takes, who not Believes the Pope, nor any of them believe-- These spaniel-Spaniard English of the time, Who rub their fawning noses in the dust, For that is Philip's gold-dust, and adore This Vicar of their Vicar. Would I had been Born Spaniard! I had held my head up then. I am ashamed that I am Bagenhall, English.
_Enter_ OFFICER.
OFFICER. Sir Ralph Bagenhall!
BAGENHALL. What of that?
OFFICER. You were the one sole man in either house Who stood upright when both the houses fell.
BAGENHALL. The houses fell!
OFFICER. I mean the houses knelt Before the Legate.
BAGENHALL. Do not scrimp your phrase, But stretch it wider; say when England fell.
OFFICER. I say you were the one sole man who stood.
BAGENHALL. I am the one sole man in either house, Perchance in England, loves her like a son.
OFFICER. Well, you one man, because you stood upright, Her Grace the Queen commands you to the Tower.
BAGENHALL. As traitor, or as heretic, or for what?
OFFICER. If any man in any way would be The one man, he shall be so to his cost.
BAGENHALL. What! will she have my head?
OFFICER. A round fine likelier. Your pardon. [_Calling to_ ATTENDANT. By the river to the Tower.
[_Exeunt_.